A couple of weeks had passed and Carla was starting to feel more like herself, she was still taking it easy but with Peter's family making demands to see her and speak to them both about their relationship she had no choice but to go for a dreaded family meal. Peter was making sure she was looking after herself, making sure she had a balanced diet, pulling her hair back when something random set off her sickness and to make sure she was provided with all her cravings. She even managed to go into work for a couple of hours a day so she felt a lot better about herself as a result.

"Knock knock" Peter smirks holding up a paper bag which he places on her desk, her eyes light up as she rummages through the bad and pulls out a triple chocolate muffin

"Oh my god I love you so much!" she exclaims taking a bite out of it "Ugh it tastes so good!"

"That was the plan" he grins, she smirks eating the muffin "So how are my two favourite people then?"

"Oh we're good" Frank smiles looking up from his work "Seriously I'm so happy I'm your favourite"

"Enough of that" Carla points with a grin, Frank smirks "We're really good, better now I'm eating this"

"Good, good" he nods kissing her forehead "Any way you need to go home and rest for a bit before the meal later"

"Ugh," she moans "Do we have to?"

"Yes I cant use the 'you're not feeling well' excuse because you wanted to go back to work" he states, she rolls her eyes "Dont worry everything will be ok, I'll be there"

"Alright then" she shrugs logging off her computer "Are you driving me home then?"

"Yes your majesty" Peter rolls his eyes, she beams grabbing all of her stuff "Come on then madame let's get you home"

He drove her home and spent his lunch break with her, he held her close on the sofa and they had some bonding time, it wasn't long before Carla fell asleep so he lifted her and moved her to the bed and pulled the covers over her to make sure that she was comfortable and warm enough. He then went back to work to get on with some stuff before returning at around dinner time to get ready to go to this family meal with Carla who was making every excuse under the sun in an attempt to get out of it.

"What am I wearing then?" she asks, he rolls his eyes pulling out the black dress from the wedding blessing "Oh, isn't that a bit dressy?"

"I guess" he shrugs "Just put some jeans on then?"

"Yeah I would if I could fit into them" she states, he just groans pulling out some leggings "Now what do I wear with them?"

"Well how about this navy blue top?" he suggests [passing it to her, she shrugs walking into the bathroom to get changed, she reappears to do her makeup "That was surprisingly easy"

"I literally dont care what I wear, to be honest, I look fat in everything"

"It's a good thing" he reminds her tickling her bump from behind, she giggles "You're pregnant, remember?"

"How could I forget?" she tilts her head and kisses him on the lips "We could always stay here? Where you can show me how much you really love me"

"That does sound tempting" he kisses her again "But we've put this off for too long now"

"Hmm I guess" she sighs dramatically "Let's go then"

"Good girl" he grins, she shoots him a look at the patronising tone "I could call you wifey"

"If you call me that I will be ordering a gravestone for express delivery"

They decided to walk to Ken's as Carla was feeling rather energised and hyper for some reason, Peter was convinced that she had an overload of sugar that afternoon whilst he was working. They talked a bit and he could tell that she was very nervous about what they would think of her, Peter reassured her that she would be ok and that if she wanted to leave then she could at any point. Peter let them into the house and she immediately felt rather awkward.

"Hi Dad" Peter smiles greeting him, Carla just grasps hold of his hand "This is Carla, as you know..."

"Nice to meet you Carla" Ken nods, Deirdre appears from the kitchen "Deirdre say hi to Carla"

"Hello Carla, love, please take a seat Tracy and Amy should be here soon" Deirdre smiles as Carla sits down next to Peter, Ken sits down with them all as well

"So how are you, Carla?" Ken asks passing her a glass of orange juice, she smiles

"I'm good" she nods weaving her fingers through Peter's

"We're very happy together" Peter states, Carla smiles at him still feeling very uncomfortable over the whole thing "Arent we Carla?"

"Yes" she nods shifting in her seat "We are, I love him so much"

"I must say the turn around was rather quick, we didn't even know you two even spoke to each other, the next thing we know you're having a baby" Ken muses, Carla tries not to get offended at the tone he was using

"What can we say these things happen" Peter squeezes her hand, she smiles slightly

"And you're sure it's Peter's? Carla, it could be Trevors? From what I remember you were with him at the time the baby was conceived" Ken questions, Carla grits her teeth

"One hundred per cent sure it's Peter's, the dates on the scan confirmed that" she nods, Peter shoots his dad a look as Tracy walks into the room with Amy

"Oh this should be good" Tracy grins looking around the table and sensing the awkward atmosphere "So how are the happy couple?"

"Happy's an understatement, Tracy" Peter snipes, Carla just sighs, she was starting to get very fed up

"I can't believe you're having another sprog" Tracy shakes her head "You almost barbequed your last one"

"Tracy" Ken scolds "That's what I'm trying to understand, are you sure you're both ready for a baby? I mean Carla from what I've seen you live a very hectic and career-driven life and Peter are you sure you dont have feelings for Leanne, did you not fight hard enough to save that marriage?"

"Dad" Peter scolds "Leanne and I are over, she threatened the mother of my unborn child, she even injured her so I dont think you have any rights to say that Leanne would be better than Carla because Carla is ten times the person Leanne will ever be"

"I'm ready for a baby by the way, yes I may not be what you describe as 'mother material' but at least I will have money to provide my child, a stable home and a father, and let me tell you something, Ken, that's a damn lot more than I had when I was growing up" she snipes grabbing her stuff and storming out of the house

"Oh this just got interesting, we haven't even started on the starters yet and we're one down" Tracy smirks, Peter and Ken shoot her a look

"Stop judging her" Peter points out "Even after everything Leanne did all you can do is judge Carla, this is my life, mine, and I love Carla and my baby and if you continue to judge her because of the way she lives, because of the clothes she wears and because of the way she comes across then we are done, you hear me? Done"

"Peter-"

"No" he shuts Ken down "You either accept her because once you get to know her she is not a bad person and there is no way I am getting back with Leanne"

"Peter, Leanne is better for you than Carla" Ken laments, Peter just shakes his head "You've been through so much together"

"And I've been through so much with Carla as well, there are some things that even you dont know but right now I'm going to leave and comfort her because all these vultures in this room are so set on their own ways that they judge her and the thing about Carla is that she takes everything to heart"

"As if" Ken scoffs "Look I'm sorry ok but she does not suit you"

"I'll be the judge of that, bye dad" Peter states walking out of the house he sighs in annoyance at the whole thing, all he could think about right now is Carla and how she was feeling...

He went to the shops and picked up the biggest bar of chocolate he could find for her on the walk home. He also picked up some flowers as well wanting to give Carla a little boost after the disastrous family meal they both endured. He entered the flat and it was pitch black and Carla was just sitting idly on the sofa with a blanket wrapped around her, he turned the light on and sat down beside her, she curled into him and let out a shaky breath he just wished that his family accepted her for who she was because everything he knew about her so far, she was an amazing loving person and he loved her so much and couldn't imagine his life without her in it.

"Do they really hate me?"

"I dont know" he admits, he didn't want to lie to her though so he was just honest, "I think they just struggle to understand that people move on its ironic really my dads had many relationships in his lifetime"

"I just hate that people think I'm a certain way because of the lifestyle I lived before the baby" she rubs her bump, Peter places his hand on top of hers "Is that really how I come across?"

"No sweetheart" he reassures her, she dips her head "I know you put on that front of yours but you have to believe me when I say this, you are the most loving and loyal person ok? I love you so much and I love the baby as well, I love you both with all my heart, Leanne doesn't even compare to you both"

"I'm scared" she replies, Peter nods "I dont want to bring my baby up knowing that his or her family hates me"

"Oh, love" he brings her into a hug, she clambers onto his lap so he could hold her "They'll realise how amazing you are"

"What if they dont, Peter?"

"They will" he nudges her nose with his "Why dont you get undressed and we can have some skin to skin cuddles eh? Like we always do?"

"Hm" she nods kissing him softly on the lips and getting off his lap, she walks to the bathroom "Peter?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, so, so much" she smiles, he smiles back at her

"I love you too, both of you"